Book support or lecturn



May 1, 1956 J. J. FELICE BOOK SUPPORT OR LECTURN Filed July 16, 1954 g5 J WJZZ-e United States atent BOOK SUPPORT OR LECTURN Joseph J. Felice, Ridley Park, Pa.

Application July 16, 1954, Serial No. 443,827

6 Claims. (Cl. 45-80) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in book supports or lecturns, and is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application Serial No. 274,187, filed February 29, 1952, now abandoned.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel book support in which the support table may i be adjusted to be maintained in any desired position relative to the base without the necessity of loosening and tightening any of the pivotal joints after the table has been properly positioned. Prior to the present invention when using book supports of this type it was necessary to loosen a wing nut or similar member, place the table in the desired position and then tighten the Wing nut. In many instances the pivotal joints became loosened during use of the support or if tightened sufiiciently became so tight that it was necessary to force the support table to the desired position relative to the base member thereby frequently damaging or weakening the book support.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel book support having the features and characteristics set forth which may be manufactured easily and cheaply and is entirely efiicient and effective in operation and use.

These and other objects of the present invention and various features and details of the operation and construction thereof are hereinafter more fully set forth and described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a front perspective view illustrating a book support made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the book support illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view illustrating the range of adjustability of a book support made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on line 4 -4, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 55, Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 6-6, Fig. 4.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 designates generally a book support made in accordance with the present invention which comprises a base member 11, a support table 12 and a connecting link 13 pivotally mounted to the base member and support table to permit relative positioning of the table with respect to the base. The base member 11 is constructed of a generally rectangular flat sheet of material, for example wood or plastic, and is relatively large to permit the book stand to be supported on the lap of the user. The support table 12 is also formed of a flat sheet of material similar to the base 11 and is adapted to support a book or similar object in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1.

Positioned at opposite side edges of the supporting table 12 and depending downwardly therefrom is a pair of ribs 14, 14. The ribs 14, 14 terminate a short distance from the opposite ends of the supporting table 12 and add 2,743,550 Patented May 1,

strength and rigidity to the table. In the case where the book support of the present invention is manufactured of wood, the ribs 14, 14 prevent the table from warping and becoming distorted and unsuitable for use.

A removable flange portion 15 is provided which is adapted to be removably secured to either end of the supporting table as desired and provide an upwardly extending ledge against which a book or other object placed on the table surface may rest. The flange 15 is maintained in position by a pair of dowel pins 16, 16 which project downwardly from the lower surface thereof and are received in openings 17, 17 provided at the forward and rear ends of the table 12, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. By this construction, the flange 15 may be secured to either end of the table 12, as desired. For example, when the supporting table is maintained in a low position relative to the base, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, the flange is secured to the forward end of the table and when the table is in its upper limit position, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 3, the flange is secured to the opposite end of the table.

in accordance with the present invention the connecting link 13 is pivotally secured to the base member 11 and supporting table 12 in the manner illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6 to permit the table to be adjusted to and maintained in any desired position relative to the base without the necessity ofloosening and tightening the fastening means. This is accomplished by providing a pair of relatively spaced lugs 18 and 19 on the base 11 and table 12, respectively. The pairs of lugs 18 and 19 aredisposed at the forward end of the base 11 and at the rear end of the table 12, respectively, and the connecting link 13 extends diagonally between the two pairs of lugs to permit the table to be nested directly above the base when the table is in its lowermost position with respect to the base.

As shown in Fig. 4, the connecting link 13 has a width slightly less than the distance between the two lugs of a single pair and is positioned between the lugs in spaced relationship with respect to the base and the table. A bore or passage 20 is provided transversely through the link 13 adjacent its opposite ends. Mounted in each bore 20 is a central cylindrical sleeve member 21 of less diameter than the bore 20 and a pair of outer or endwise sleeve members 22. The endwise sleeve members 22 have a polygonal exterior configuration and a. maximum diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the bore 21) so that they fit snugly therein.

The sleeve members 22 are also secured against rotation within the bore 20 by means of a glue or cement 23 which fills the space between the walls of the bore 20 and the flats on the polygonal surface of the sleeve members 22. A glue which has proved highly satisfactory for this purpose is Cascamite-IZ a urea-formaldehyde glue available commercially in dry powder form for mixture with water for use. This glue forms a very strong bond with the wall of the bore 20 and effectively secures the sleeves 22 against rotation relative to the bores 20. The giue also supports the central sleeve concentrically within the bore 20 so that the openings through the several sleeve members are disposed in coaxial alignment. As shown in Fig. 4 the combined length of the sleeves 21 and 22 is slightly greater than the bore or passage 24) so that the outer end faces of the sleeves 22 are: offset outwardly beyond the sides of the link 13.

In similar manner the pairs of lugs 18 and 19 are provided with axially aligned bores or passages 24 each having mounted therein a polygonal sleeve 25. In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention the diameter of the bores 24 is the minimum diameter of the polygonal sleeves through their flat surfaces or less than the maximum diameter of the sleeves 25.

By this construction the sleeves 25 may be secured against rotation within the lug bores 24 simply by press fitting them into the bores 24 so that the angular ridges of the external polygonal surface of the sleeves 25 cut into and are interlocked with the material of the lugs 18 and 19, for example as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. As in the case of the sleeves 22, the sleeves 25 are mounted in the lugs 18 and 19 so that their end faces are outwardly offset from the lugs as shown in Fig. 4.

A bolt 26 having a head 27 at one end is passed entirely through the lug sleeves 25 and the sleeves 21 and 22 at the opposite ends of the link 13 in the relation shown in Fig. 4. Nuts 28 are threaded onto the bolts 26 and tightened to an extent that there is sufiicient friction between the contacting end faces of the sleeves 22 and 25 to maintain the several parts of the support in any desired position to which adjusted While at the same time enabling the parts of the support to be adjusted at will. By this construction it is not necessary to loosen and tighten the nut 28 on the bolt 26 each time that the adjustment of the parts is to be changed. The lugs 18 and 19 have their bores 24 countersunk as indicated at 29 to receive the bolt head 27 and nut 28 so that they do not project beyond the boundaries of the lugs 18 and 19.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the present invention provides a book support having novel features of construction by means of which the table may be selectively positioned as desired without the necessity of loosening or tightening any adjusting bolts.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described herein it is not intended to limit the invention to such a disclosure and changes and modifications may be incorporated and embodied therein. within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a book support or lecturn comprising a base member and a support table having relative movement with respect to each other; a first pair of spaced parallel lugs secured to said base and projecting upwardly therefrom, a second pair of spaced parallel lugs secured to the underside of the support table and depending downwardly therefrom, a connecting link extending between said base and said table and terminating at its opposite ends between said pairs of lugs, the width of the opposite ends of said connecting link being slightly less than the spacing between said pairs of lugs and the said opposite ends of the link and thepairs of lugs each having axially aligned bores extending transversely therethrough, sleeve members mounted in the opposite ends of the link bores and in the lug bores for axial movement relatively to each other, said sleeves being each secured against rotation in its bore and having its outer end face offset outwardly from the link and lugs respectively with the end faces of the sleeves at opposite sides of the link disposed in confronting frictional engagement with the end faces of the corresponding adjacent lug sleeves, a member extending through the lug and link sleeves at each end of the link, and fastening means on the member for securing the confronting end faces of the sleeves in frictional contact and exerting a friction force between the said confronting faces of the sleeve members required to retain the connecting link in selected relative positions with respect to said pairs of lugs on the base and table while permitting manual adjustment of said parts relative to one another to selectively position the table relative to said base without manipulation of said fastening means.

2. A book support or lecturn as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sleeve members mounted in the opposite ends of the link bores and in the lug bores have a polygonal external configuration.

3. A book support or lecturn as claimed in claim 2 wherein the sleeve members mounted in the opposite ends of the link bores are secured against rotation therein by means of a glue which forms a firm bond with the wall of the bore and fills the spaces between the latter and the flats of the polygonal surface of the sleeves to preclude rotation of the latter.

4. A book support or lecturn as claimed in claim 2 wherein the sleeve members mounted in the lug bores have a maximum diameter greater than the diameter of said lug bores and are secured against rotation therein by engagement of the angular ridges of the external polygonal surfaces of the sleeves into the material of the lugs to interlock the sleeves therewith.

5. In a book support or lecturn comprising a base memher and a support table having relative movement with respect to each other; a first pair of spaced parallel lugs secured to said base and projecting upwardly therefrom, a second pair of spaced parallel lugs secured to the underside of the support table and depending downwardly therefrom, a connecting link-extending between said base and said table and terminating at its opposite ends between said pairs of lugs, the width of the opposite ends of said connecting link being slightly less than the spacing between said pairs of lugs and the said opposite ends of the link and the'pairs of lugs each having axially aligned bores extending transversely therethrough, sleeve members mounted in the opposite ends of the link bores and in the lug bores for axial movement relatively to each other, said sleeves being each secured against rotation in its bore and having its outer end face offset outwardly from the link and lugs respectively with the end faces of the sleeves at opposite sides of the link disposed in confronting frictional engagement with the end faces of the corresponding adjacent lug sleeves, a bolt extending through the lug and link sleeves at each end of the link and serving as a pivotal mounting for the link, and securing means at opposite ends of the bolt for holding these ends in engagement with opposite end faces of the lug sleeves, one of these securing means being a nut adapted to hold the lug and link sleeves in desired frictional engagement with each other.

6. A book support or lecturn as claimed in claim 5, in which there is further provided a central sleeve surrounding said bolt and serving as a spacer sleeve between said link bore sleeves, and in which said link bore sleeves and central spacer sleeve are rigidly secured to each other and to the link.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS inn -r" 

